The Sparkling

The Woods

Ever since Optimus took Salrahn under his wing, he thought of having a little quality time with the little one, so he entered the med bay to get Salrahn, but first he had to ask for permission, the Prime approaches the medic who was nearby and checking Salrahn's status. "Ratchet, I request permission if I can have some quality time with the sparkling, if that's okay with you." 

Optimus asks the medic who turned to the Prime. "Yes you can but not too far from the base, his status are still not doing good, after your time with him he has to come back here for a second shot." Ratchet instructed the Prime like a mother teaching her young. The Prime nodded and approaches Salrahn who was entertaining himself with a blanket. 

Salrahn sees Optimus before squealing in excitement, the Prime was the only bot he was comfortable with. Optimus smiles softly as he sees this, now knowing that the sparkling is becoming more attached to him. "Are you excited?" Prime whispers to Salrahn who made a confused mewl. "We're going outside little one, you have to stay beside me at all times okay?" Optimus says and instructed Salrahn to stay with him at all costs.

"Sque!" Salrahn squealed in excitement before he was picked up by Optimus. The young sparkling was already trusting the Autobots but he never forgot about Megatron of course. Optimus saw Salrahn as a small little ball of energy as well, he was already growing fond of him. Optimus then left the med bay with Salrahn in his arms.

As soon as Optimus stepped out, he saw the three children, Jack, Miko and Rafael looking at him with a curious and confused look. "Uhh, is that what a younger Cybertronian looks like?" Rafael asked Optimus who nodded. "This is the first stage of Cybertronians, the Sparkling stage." The Prime replied to the small Rafael.

"So the Sparkling stage is like the baby version?" Miko said as he put her arms on her waist while Optimus made a confused look. "I'm sorry, baby?" Optimus said with his now confused tone, he didn't know what a baby is. "What Miko meant is if the Sparkling stage is the first stage of life." Jack explained to the Prime who nodded in reply.

"Yes, the Sparkling stage is the first stage of life of the Cybertronians." Optimus explained to the children before looking down on Salrahn who was hiding in his arms. "Well they're even smaller than we thought!" Miko exclaimed. "Can we get a closer look at him?" Rafael requested the Prime who shook his head as a no since he knew that young sparkling's at this type of stage of life was extremely vulnerable and might get scared.

"I apologize but you may not, the sparkling is still not used to being here. Maybe later after our quality time." Optimus said before excusing himself to leave the base through the groundbridge with Salrahn in his arms. In the woods where Optimus stopped and placed Salrahn on the ground who crawled and looked up at Optimus with a confused expression.

"Sque?" Salrahn tilts his head in confusion. "I suppose you have not yet learned how to walk." Optimus let out a sigh before picking Salrahn back up in his arms. "And you are very thin and... Light." Optimus let out another sigh now feeling more pity towards Salrahn and starts to think of the horrors Salrahn experienced in the Decepticon's warship.

Salrahn tilts his head in confusion but that confusion turned to curiosity when he saw a small butterfly fly past the both of them. "Ah! Ah!" Salrahn reaches out for the butterfly but was held back by Optimus. "No Salrahn, we do not harm the small living beings here. They are vulnerable like you." Optimus chuckled as he continued walking towards a small path. 

"Dadwa?" Salrahn cooed as he looked up at the large trees with the leaves falling to the ground as Optimus walked with him in his arms. "Here we are Salrahn." The Prime stopped his tracks when he reached a large waterfall and a large lake. "Squee!" Salrahn's optics lit up and start to squirm in Optimus' arms, wanting to jump in the lake.

"No Salrahn, you are still too young to do that." Optimus said. He knew what Salrahn wanted to do and he knows he cannot allow it. "Squee!!" Salrahn looked up at Optimus with his small face, begging for the Prime to allow him to play in the lake. Optimus thought about it before sighing. "I will allow you to play in the lake but not without my supervision." The Prime instructed while Salrahn squealed in happiness.

The Prime then slowly entered the lake with Salrahn in his arms, for Optimus the lake was like a bath tub for him, but for Salrahn.. It's like a flood. Optimus lowered into the lake until his waist and hips were fully submerged before lowering his arms so the water can flow towards Salrahn's small body. "Squeee!" Salrahn squeaked and giggled as he splashed around the water with joy.

Optimus couldn't help but put up a smile in his face plate, he never really noticed that he actually smiled but he shrugged it off an continued admiring and growing more fond of Salrahn's small yet naive behavior.

Optimus was now lost in his thoughts whether or not should he take Salrahn as his own offspring, he was still unaware that Megatron had already took Salrahn as his own but.. He took Salrahn as his own now.

Salrahn was now his little boy..

His little one.


His alone.